The first thing that must be mentioned about visiting Estes Park/Rocky Mountain National Park in the summer is the crowds! Visitation to RMNP has skyrocketed in recent years. That coupled with massive numbers of people moving to Colorado has made RMNP the fifth most visited national park in the US (as of 2023). The weeks around the 4th of July are especially busy. Visitation slows down slightly in late August after the kids go back to school. Since so many people can really damage the beautiful nature RMNP was created to protect, please follow all regulations and guidelines to leave no trace. Only park in designated areas, do not approach or feed the wildlife, do not leave any trash, and do not go off trail, especially on the tundra since this can damage the delicate ecosystem.
Timed Entry Reservations/Crowds – Because of the drastic increase in visitation, RMNP started requiring timed entry reservations to enter the park during the peak season, which is Memorial Day weekend through the third week of October. More information about the reservation system can be found on the park website. The reservations become available the first of the month prior to your visitation dates so if you are planning to visit in July, those reservations become available on June 1st. The most popular time slots sell out quickly. The timed entry reservation is in addition to the required entrance fees to get into the park.
There are two types of reservations:
- Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road (Bear Lake Corridor Plus the Rest of the Park) – reservations for the Bear Lake Corridor are required between 5:00 am and 6:00 pm. The Bear Lake Corridor includes everything on Bear Lake Road from where it turns off Highway 36. This is where a majority of the popular lakes and hikes are, including Bear Lake, Sprague Lake, Alberta Falls, Emerald Lake, Moraine Park, and others. The park website has a very informative page about the Bear Lake Corridor here.
- Timed Entry (the Rest of the Park Excluding the Bear Lake Corridor) – reservations are required between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm. This includes Trail Ridge Road, the west side of the park, Wild Basin, Lumpy Ridge, Lily Lake (anything that is not on Bear Lake Road).
What if you were unable to get a reservation? They hold back a certain percentage of last minute reservations that are released the night before at 7:00 pm. These typically sell out within minutes so you have to get on right at 7:00 in order to get one. You can also enter anywhere except the Bear Lake Corridor prior to 9:00 am or after 2:00 pm without a reservation. Another option is to consider visiting one of the many other locations in Colorado where you can see mountain scenery without a reservation.
While the reservation system has helped cut back on the crowds significantly, the park does still get crowded. There are lines to get in at the entrance stations during peak times, parking lots still fill up, and the most popular trails like Emerald Lake can still feel very busy (just think about how bad it was before the reservations!). The Glacier Gorge and Bear Lake parking lots fill up early with those people who have the early morning reservation time slots. Because just getting into the park and finding parking can be a hassle, it’s a good idea to bring a sack lunch to eat on the trail so you don’t have to leave the park and re-enter.
Park and Ride/Bear Lake Road Shuttles – If you’re arriving after 8:00 am or so, you’ll likely have to park in the Park and Ride (overflow) lot and take the shuttle. The rangers at the entrance to Bear Lake Road will typically tell you if the parking lot is already full. There are two shuttle bus routes that leave from here and stop at various places along Bear Lake Road. One benefit to taking the shuttle is that you can start at one trailhead and end at another, utilizing the shuttle to return to your car. The shuttles only service Bear Lake Road. To get to other areas of the park such as Trail Ridge Road, you either have to drive yourself or book a guided tour.
Hiker Shuttle – there is also a shuttle that leaves from the Estes Park Visitor Center in town and drops you off at the Park and Ride parking lot on Bear Lake Road. From there, you would transfer shuttles to access the other stops along Bear Lake. For this shuttle, you need a Hiker Shuttle Ticket, which must be reserved in advance. You don’t need a timed entry reservation in addition to the Hiker Shuttle Ticket but do need a valid park entrance pass. This shuttle option can be a bit time consuming and limiting but is available for those not wanting to drive themselves or if you were unable to secure a Bear Lake (Park Access +) reservation.
Grand Lake or Estes Park – One frequent question is whether you should stay in Estes Park (east side) or Grand Lake (west side). While the Grand Lake side is less crowded than Estes Park, I personally don’t find the west side of the park as scenic. The majority of the popular sites and trails are on the east side of the park. Commuting from Grand Lake to the east side of the park can take about 2 hours over winding Trail Ridge Road. The west side of the park also suffered significant damage in the East Troublesome wildfire in the fall of 2020.
June – one downside to visiting in June is that there will still be snow on the higher elevation hiking trails at that time of year. For example, on the popular Emerald Lake Trail, you can typically get as far as Dream Lake on dry ground but will run into snow after that. This forces you to stick to some of the lower elevation trails that time of year. Trails can also sometimes be muddy from the snow melt. It is a good time to see more snow on the peaks, the aspens when they are at their early bright green color, and lower elevation wildflowers. It’s rare but it can occasionally snow in June.
July – July is a beautiful month for hiking since the snow has typically melted. Wildflowers at the higher elevations are typically at peak mid-July through early August. One downside to July is that it’s monsoon season in Colorado and it’s not uncommon to have a short thunderstorm roll through every afternoon. Colorado gets a lot of lightning so it is dangerous to be out in a thunderstorm, especially above treeline. For this reason, plan on hiking in the morning and try to be at your destination by noon at the latest. July is the busiest month to visit.
August – August is my favorite month for hiking. After the first week of August, the weather typically dries out and the afternoon thunderstorms are less likely. It’s a good time of year for hiking above treeline. Unfortunately, smoky and hazy skies have become a new normal for summers in Colorado and August seems to be one of the worst months for this. Even when there are no wildfires in Colorado, we can still get smoke from other fires burning in the western United States. The smoky conditions vary from day to day depending on the wind and weather.
Scenic Drives – the number one thing to do in RMNP is drive Trail Ridge Road, which is Highway 34 between Estes Park and Grand Lake. The route goes above 12,000 feet and has spectacular views of the tundra. There are a few short sections that can be a little scary for those afraid of heights since there are no guardrails. Just driving the road without stops can take around 2 hours. Add another 2 hours to stop at the numerous overlooks and another 2 hours if you want to do any of the short hikes. Trail Ridge Road is typically open from Memorial Day weekend to late October (weather dependent).
This link details some of the numerous stops and overlooks.
Old Fall River Road is another scenic drive. This one is a well maintained dirt road that only goes one way – so you end at the Alpine Visitor Center and come back down via Trail Ridge Road. Old Fall River Road typically opens around the 4th of July and closes early October.
The Peak to Peak Highway is the scenic route to take from Denver to Estes Park.
Hiking – Hiking is of course one of the most popular things to do in RMNP. This site is a good resource for all of the hiking trails in RMNP. I also really recommend reading about the trails on Alltrails.com, which can be a great resource for up-to-date conditions, comments from recent visitors about anything from parking to wildlife sightings, and accurate maps. Here is the park map for the Bear Lake area. These are a few of the hikes I would personally recommend:
- Emerald Lake – this hike is the most popular one and considered the “must do.” Consequently, it can be very crowded. It includes four lakes – Bear Lake (at the trailhead), Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake – and a wide variety of scenery.
- Alberta Falls – this is a short and easy one to a beautiful waterfall. You can add it after doing Emerald Lake. You can access Alberta Falls from either the Bear Lake Trailhead or the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. I personally find the Glacier Gorge route more scenic.
- Mills Lake or the Loch – if you’re up for a bit longer hike, both of these lakes are very scenic and it is hard for me to choose a favorite. They start out on the same trail from the Glacier Gorge Trailhead, which passes Alberta Falls and then splits to go to either lake.
- Four Lakes Loop – because all of the trails in the Bear Lake area are interconnected, you can add more lakes to your route depending on the length of hike you’re comfortable with. The Four Lakes Loop is a longer “big bang for your buck” hike that combines Emerald Lake, Lake Haiyaha, and Alberta Falls into a loop.
- Ute Pass Trail – I absolutely love hiking above treeline and this is one of my favorites since the elevation gain is fairly gradual. There are multiple trails called Ute Pass or Ute Trail so it can be a bit confusing. This one runs between the Alpine Visitor Center (across the road) and the Milner Pass lot so you can park at either end. Parking at Milner Pass will you have going uphill first. If you just want to go a short ways on this trail, start at the Alpine Visitor Center and turn around at the Forest Canyon sign. The views are very scenic right from the beginning.
This site has a good list of the top 10 hikes in RMNP, although do note that many of these are fairly long and difficult and might not be appropriate for inexperienced hikers. Please check the park website for trail closure information since some trails were affected by the East Troublesome wildfire in 2020.
Rafting – there is no rafting near Estes Park. The closest is out of Fort Collins (Poudre River) about an hour and a half away.
What to Wear – the weather in the mountains can be unpredictable and change quickly. Coloradans know to always dress in layers. It can be pretty chilly in the mornings and evenings even in the summer. It can also be chilly and windy above treeline up on Trail Ridge Road (like in the 40’s!). My general rule of thumb in the summer is if I’m hiking below treeline, I wear shorts and a tank top or t-shirt. If I’m hiking above treeline, I wear pants and dress a little warmer. Always have a rain jacket with you! I typically have two layers with me – something lighter weight and something mid-weight that I can layer. I also always take a headband or beanie for my ears if it gets windy and gloves. Sunscreen and sunglasses are very important at high elevation.
It’s important to have sensible shoes. Do not be that tourist wearing flip flops or ballet flats on a hike! Waterproof hiking boots are best but if you won’t be hiking enough to justify buying a pair, tennis shoes with good tread work just fine. Be sure to break in any new hiking boots first. Jeans are not the best option for hiking. Most people wear athletic type pants, leggings, or hiking pants.
Wildlife – The elk typically migrate to the higher elevations of the park in the summer months so the best place to see them is on Trail Ridge Road. The moose population has increased in recent years with sightings becoming more common. Moose are very common on the west side of RMNP. On the east side, there are frequent sightings at Sprague Lake, Lily Lake, Sheep Lakes, and the Cub Lake Trail. Bighorn sheep can often be found at Sheep Lakes or in the Big Thompson Canyon (Highway 34 between Estes Park and Loveland). Deer can be found all over. Bear sightings are really rare. It would be very unlikely to see one while hiking. There are no grizzly bears in Colorado so bear spray, bear bells, etc aren’t really necessary for the casual hiker. (However, if you’re backpacking or camping, it is important to be “bear aware” and keep food secured). Marmots and pikas tend to like rocky areas above treeline. You’ll often hear their squeaks first before you see them. Finally, beware of chipmunks and golden mantled ground squirrels since they will try to get your food. Please do NOT feed them no matter how cute they look. It is not healthy for them and teaches them to be reliant on humans.
Finally, be sure to check the official park website for any alerts or closures before your trip.
Colorado, a Hiker's Journey 